Former president Donald Trump was found guilty on all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in his New York hush money case.
The 12-judge jury unanimously decided after two days of deliberations that Trump falsified records to hide a $130,000 payment made just before the 2016 election to keep an adult film actress silent about an alleged past sexual encounter.
Trump is still the leading Republican candidate for this year’s presidential race.
Trump's sentencing is scheduled for July 11 by New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan. Before this, Trump must report to the New York City Department of Probation. There, he will be interviewed about his background, mental health, and the details of his case. This information will be used to create a report to assist in his sentencing.
Trump's charges are punishable by 16 months to four years in prison, legal experts said. However, they said that he was unlikely to go to jail as he has no prior convictions and is 77 years old. Instead, he might be sentenced to probation, according to legal experts. He may be required to seek approval from a parole officer to travel outside the state. The judge can fine him, or give him a conditional discharge if he avoids further legal trouble, legal experts said.
The answer is yes. Trump can run for president and serve the nation if elected even after he was convicted by a court, according to legal experts.
A presidential candidate is required to be at least 35 years old, a natural-born citizen, and a US resident for at least 14 years, according to the US Constitution. The 14th Amendment prevents those involved in an insurrection from running for the presidency. But Trump hasn't been charged with insurrection in his other cases.
Legal experts said that the former president can file an appeal against his conviction as per the legal procedure.
Donald Trump's lawyers have 30 days to file a notice of appeal and six months to submit the full appeal, according to the legal procedure. The process of appeal is likely to extend beyond the November 5 presidential election.
Moreover, an appeals court can also delay Trump's sentence until the appeal is decided.